Vehicles, such as cars, trucks, and sport utility vehicles, generally include multiple sheet metal panels mounted to a frame of the vehicle to provide an outer finish for the vehicle. For example, a vehicle may include one or more roof panels and side panels that are mounted to the frame, resulting in one or more seams extending between the panels. Generally, a seam extends between a roof panel and each side panel along the roof of a vehicle from the front windshield to the rear window.
The edges of the adjacent panels may be abutted or overlapped with one another, thereby defining a seam. In some cases, the adjacent panels may include one or more upright flanges, e.g., that may be butted against one another to facilitate joining and/or sealing the panels together. The resulting seam may be joined, e.g., by spot or continuous welding, bonding using an adhesive, and the like, and/or sealed, e.g., using a caulk or other sealant, and the like. The seam may be joined and/or sealed along or between the edges and/or along ends of or between abutted flanges.
Because the resulting seam may be unattractive, molding may be attached over the seam to cover the lapped edges or flanges and/or to provide a desired aesthetic finish. One of the problems with conventional strips of molding is that it may be difficult to apply the molding in a continuous, e.g., straight or curved, line along the seam. When the molding is applied to a seam that is several feet long, any irregularities may be particularly noticeable to observers, such as potential purchasers of the vehicle. In addition, such molding may extend above the surface of the roof, detracting from the continuity and aesthetic appearance of the roofline.
For some panels, grooves or shoulders may be formed along the edges such that the adjacent panels define a channel or “ditch” along the seam. For example, a ditch may be provided along a seam between a roof and side panel for directing water, e.g., rain, along the ditch such that it does not run down on passengers entering or exiting the vehicle.
Because the ditch may include abutted flanges, spot welds, sealants, and/or other non-aesthetic features, molding is generally applied along the seam within the ditch to cover the seam and provide an aesthetic finish. The molding may be applied to the bottom of the ditch, e.g., using an adhesive and/or fasteners, or may extend across the ditch and be connected to the adjacent panels, e.g., by tongues or ribs on the molding that are received under ledges of the ditch. As explained above, such molding, however, may not be easily applied in a continuous uniform line, thereby detracting from the finished appearance of the vehicle. In addition, the surface within the ditch may be irregular due to the welds, sealants, and/or other non-aesthetic features. When the molding is applied in the ditch over such objects, the molding may not lie substantially flat within the ditch, potentially creating an unattractive finish.
Accordingly, molding and/or components for covering a seam between panels of a vehicle would be useful.